David Ralston, Florida International University Professor, Arrested for Sexual Assault

David Ralston, a Florida International University (FIU) professor from Weston, Florida was arrested on Thursday for allegedly sexually assaulting a semi-conscious housekeeper. Investigators claim that the entire incident was captured on Ralston’s home security cameras.

Ralston, 69, was booked into Broward Main Jail and faces charges for sexual assault on a helpless victim. News sources did not specify if bond has been set for Ralston or whether he has acquired the services of a defense attorney.

According to the arrest report, Ralston hired the housekeeper, whose identity has not been disclosed, to clean his Fort Myers home back in April using Craigslist. The housekeeper told investigators that on the day of the incident, Ralston purportedly gave her a drink that made her feel disoriented. She reportedly fell unconscious around 30 minutes after consuming the beverage and was semi-conscious when Ralston allegedly raped her.

The housekeeper reported the rape to authorities and on May 1, sources say. Detectives obtained a warrant to search Ralston’s home, where they reportedly recovered a video recording of the assault from Ralston’s security system. On May 6, detectives began asking Ralston to surrender himself, but he allegedly refused on more than one occasion before disappearing.

After his disappearance in May, Ralston was officially declared a fugitive and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force was brought in to assist in his arrest. The U.S. marshals staked out Ralston’s house, but he never returned. According to investigators, Ralston was eventually found at a motel on 1700 W. Broward Boulevard. He was arrested and faces potential extradition back to Lee County, where the sexual assault purportedly occurred.

The FIU website lists Ralston as a professor in the university’s College of Business. He has business degrees from Florida Atlantic University, Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, and Florida State University.